#123 TSP Withdrawals: When, How, and Why to Start
Listen to the Full Episode: Understanding your TSP withdrawal options is essential for a successful retirement. In this podcast episode, Micah and Christian break down the three financial phases: accumulation, preservation, and distribution, highlighting the critical decisions federal employees need to make when withdrawing from the TSP. Learn about the different withdrawal options, including lump […]
I Passed On The Fork… Now What Do I Do?
https://youtu.be/-lxMYExTiGQ The Road Not Taken: What Happens When Federal Employees Make (or Avoid) Big Decisions. Understanding Federal Retirement Options: Deferred Resignation, VERA, Postponed Retirement, and Deferred Retirement With the deadline for the “Deferred Resignation” passed, we are getting a lot of questions from federal employees who are saying, “I didn’t take the deferred resignation can […]
FERS Go Bag: Is Yours Packed?
How prepared are you if you no longer work for the Federal Government? Maybe you accepted the Trump Administration’s “deferred resignation” package; maybe your agency did a Voluntary Early Retirement (authorized as a VERA); maybe there was a reduction in force of mass layoffs? Maybe you are one of the many federal employees that we […]
#122 Estate Planning Myths and Facts: What Federal Employees Must Know
Listen to the Full Episode: Estate planning involves more than just creating a will; it’s about ensuring financial security, protecting your loved ones, and avoiding common mistakes that may lead to unintended consequences. In this podcast episode, Micah and Christian discuss essential estate planning topics, including the necessary documents, the dangers of outdated plans, […]
FERS Go Bag: Mapping Retirement – Navigating the Landscape
Item 5: Mapping Retirement – Navigating the Landscape One of my favorite lines is from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. It comes from a conversation between Alice and the Cheshire Cat: “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” – Alice. “That depends a good deal on where […]
FERS Go Bag: Who Are You Going to Call?
Item 4: Who are you going to call? Come on, 1980’s babies, where are you: who are you going to call? No, who? Remember when we told you that when you were in, you were a guest, but now that you are out, you are a pest. When was the last time you dialed someone’s […]
FERS Go Bag: FEHB – Your Best Benefit as a Federal Employee
Item 3: FEHB – your best benefit as a federal employee Federal Employee Health benefits are hands down the best benefits for federal employees—so good that Congress even has them! Do we sound jealous? Well, as civilians on the outside looking in, we are incredibly jealous of your health care benefits as federal employees—they are […]
FERS Go Bag: Your Official Personnel File
Item 2: Your Official Personnel File You need a complete and thorough copy of your Official Personnel File (OPF) in your FERS Go Bag—all of it, all the documents, everything. Remember that when you are in, you are a guest, but when you are out, you are a pest. The Official Personnel File (OPF) and […]
Should You Retire at 60 or Wait Until 62?
Hello, at age 57 years and two months, I separated from federal service for a civilian job after serving 5.3 years and buying back 17.2 years of military time. I currently have a good civilian job and plan to continue working until at least age 62. (I will turn 59 in March 2025.) My question […]
Can I Keep My Spouse’s FEHB Coverage in Retirement Without Survivor Benefits?
My wife is a federal employee and will retire next year. She is going to be 50 years old. I am going to be 58 when she retires. I am on her health insurance which we want to continue having post retirement. Can I stay on her health insurance without her taking either survivor benefit? […]
#121 The Untold Story of Survivor Benefits: Protect What Matters Most
Listen to the Full Episode: Planning for the future involves understanding what happens to your benefits after you are no longer here. In this podcast episode, Micah and Christian explore the details of survivor benefits—who receives what, how to plan ahead, and why your choices are significant. You’ll learn how your pension, Social Security, TSP, […]
Fork or Knife? The Truth About VERA
Listen to the Full Episode: Are you considering early retirement under VERA? Before you make a decision that could affect your benefits for years to come, it’s important to understand the risks and opportunities involved. In this podcast episode, Micah and Tammy discuss the key factors that federal employees should evaluate before opting for Voluntary […]